Top 25 Proud-to-be-Pinoy Moments in 2011

2011 may have been riddled with frustrating political controversies and mind-boggling face-palm moments, but there were still some things that made us feel flush with pride rather than embarrassment. SPOT.ph celebrates this year’s triumphs in the arts, filmmaking, sports, and more:

25.Pastry chefs win in Hong Kong’s International Culinary Classic.

Our culinary prowess shone this year: the Pastry Alliance of the Philippines received five golds, two bronzes and a team silver at Hong Kong’s International Culinary Classic held in May 2011. The team competed against delegates from 12 countries.

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24.Local films Halaw and Busong are recognized in international film festivals.

22.Pinoy designer Alexis Monsanto’s collection featured in first 3D fashion show in US

Pinoy designer Alexis Monsanto’s collection debuted at the first 3D fashion show in Hollywood, California. The September fashion show was attended by blogger Perez Hilton, as well as stars from the new TV show, "Revenge," which will use some of Monsanto’s creations on the show.

21.Pinoy athlete Antonio Lining is now No. 1 pool player in the world.

Antonio Lining was declared the No. 1 pool player in the world in April 2011. Although Lining was booted out of the World Ten Ball Championship in May 2011, other local bets advanced during the Ten Ball matches.

Kenneth Cobonpue’s bamboo and rattan car was showcased at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile during the Milan Design Week. According to a Manila Bulletin report, Conbonpue’s design was well-received and two leading car manufacturers expressed interest in collaborating with the Filipino furniture designer.

19.London-based Pinoy fashion designer wins Collection of the Year in Italy

Shaun Samson bagged the Collection of the Year award plus Â€15,000 at the International Talent Support Prize (ITS) held in July in Trieste, Italy. The California-born, British-trained Pinoy designer was chosen from eight finalists by a panel of jurors comprised of Daily Telegraph fashion director Hilary Alexander and fashion mavens Viktor & Rolf, Antonio Berardi, Renzo Rosso, and Mandi Lennard.

Another designer made waves in the international scene: Robin Tomas’ award-winning shirt was launched at Bloomingdale’s New York in March. The piece won the Best Reinvention of the Men’s T-shirt award at the Supima Design Competition in New York in 2010.

17.Three Fil-Am producers celebrate an Oscar win for God of Love.

God of Lovewon the award for Best Short Film (Live Action) at the Oscars in March 2011. Produced by former Eat Bulaga host Stefanie Walmsley along with Gigi Dement and Marketing and Distribution Producer Stephen Dypiangco, God of Love beat four other nominees.

16. Pinoy professor wins Gallieno Denardo international physics award

Dr. Ryan Balili proves that Pinoys can be just as competent in the sciences. The head of the photonics research of the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Balili was lauded for his work on semiconductor optics and was awarded the Gallieno Denardo Award along with US$1,000, a diploma and an invitation to a three-week stay in Trieste, Italy where he will be given a chance to conduct a seminar on his work.

14.Nonito Donaire is named No. 1 Bantamweight and No. 3 Pound-for-Pound Boxer in the World by The Ring magazine.

Earlier this year, The Ring magazine ranked the "Filipino Flash" Nonito Donaire as their No. 1 bantamweight champ. According to The Ring Editor-in-Chief Nigel Collins, "The ’Filipino Flash’ is on a helluva roll, one that could conceivably see him climb even higher in future months."

13.Four Pinoys included in the Forbes Heroes of Philantrophy List

Filipino tycoons Jose "Joey" Concepcion, Jesus Tambunting, Lucio Tan, and Stephen Zuellig made the Forbes Heroes of Philanthropy, a list of citizens who "have a large vision of how best to help society." The annual list aims to "call attention to a mix of notable people and causes throughout the region and to encourage more giving."

We plan to cross our fingers while watching the Oscars next year: Ang Babae sa Septic Tankwas chosen to represent the Philippines in the Best Foreign Language Film category of the 84th Academy Awards to be held in February 2012. The Eugene Domingo-starrer is among the shortlisted films from 63 countries. Baby steps, yes. But commendable nonetheless.

10.Fil-Am midwife is CNN Hero of the Year.

Following the win of street educator Efren Peñaflorida in 2009, Filipino-American midwife Robin Lim was named the CNN Hero of the Year for 2011. Lim received an additional $250,000 grant for her non-profit organization, the Bumi Sehat Foundation.

Investigative journalist Sheila Coronel made us proud when she won Columbia University’s Presidential Teaching Award in May 2011. The award lauds Columbia’s best teachers and is a recognition of her contribution to the university. Coronel co-founded the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism in 1989 and has written for The New York Times, the Guardian in London, The Manila Times and the Philippine Panorama.

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8.Charice stars in episodes of Glee; makes it to Entertainment Weekly’s "11 to Watch in 2011"

Pinoy inventors Elma Arboleras and Rodel De Guzman developed the iBus concept which won a gold medal for the consumer category at the 11th British Invention Show. Arboleras reportedly turned down offers for its patent from foreign companies and wants the Philippines to use and benefit from the invention.

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Photo by Philip Angert, courtesy of Levi’s

5.Danica Flores Magpantay, 17, wins Supermodel of the World 2011, is the first Filipina to win the title.

4. Azkals win the AFF Suzuki Cup Fair Play Award and moved up eight places in FIFA world rankings.

From underdogs to athlete superstars, the Azkals are credited for making football a more popular sport in the country. This year, they moved up eight places in the FIFA world rankings as of October 2011. The team is also 29th in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) rankings.